Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Afghanistan: Women and Politics of Marginalization

Most research works on gender inequity in politics have largely been focused on gross under- representation and sometimes lack of representation of women in Afghan politics. In Afghanistan, women marginalization in politics has thus provoked studies aimed at reversing such marginalization given the immense role that can be played in the country’s political system by the female gender. Also, several gender related works and explanations have been enunciated and interpreted in a bid to correct certain perceived marginalization of women in politics. However, it calls for more academic attention on marginalization of Afghan women from representing their people in at the national and sub-national level.
Giving priority to Girl or Women
Afghan Education Women who have appetite for politics need to be educated both politically and socially, and be exposed to their rights to participate in politics. The only means through which they can compete in an election with their male counterparts is when they are well informed and possess the necessary skills for the political positions they seek. They should be enlightened on their rights and political process of Afghanistan. This will certainly require the government setting up Civic Education Programs especially for girls and women in the crisis-prone country in order to build up awareness for the equal rights, and responsibilities of women. Afghan women are largely farmers, and highly uneducated, such that they have lost focus on their fundamental human rights to be involved in politics, therefore education is a potential source that can empower women’s economic, social and political power in the country.
The Role of Mass Media in Empowering Women
The women can be empowered by what they hear, see and discuss with the pressmen, also, the media should intensify efforts on discussions of issues of women discrimination in politics in the country. They should help to bring to the notice of the public; the need to implement the UN recommendation of 30% of elective and appointive seats to be reserved for women should be aired, published and massively circulated to all parts of Afghanistan. Also television and Continuous radio programs that will create awareness of women’s rights in political participation, at the grassroots level for rural women should be intensified.
Afghanistan state, in most part of the history of the country has been devoid of gender equity in politics. The degree of women marginalization in public life, however, varied from one region to another. The discriminatory gender practices have had considerable impact on gender imbalance in the political sphere tilting the pendulum in outrageous disfavor to women. As a result, it is necessary to examine women and politics of marginalization in Afghanistan with a view to suggesting policy measures that can enhance gender equity in politics in the country. It is the contentions of this article that women empowerment via education, the quota system, office of the first lady and affirmative action can be helpful in this direction
Finally, the effective and quick move towards gender equity in politics in the Afghanistan is a multi-pronged approach requiring a combination of factors. To this end, emphasis should be laid on, inter alia, creating in people’s mind a favorable attitude to female leadership and discouraging practices that are gender bias against women, particularly those that are antithetical to women participation in public affairs and political process. We should remind that reducing the gender gap in politics in Afghanistan requires concerted and sustained effort. Considerable success within shortest possible time may be impossible and very slow in the country.